Canada shuts out Sweden to win Olympic gold again

Sochi Gold Medal Hockey Game - Canada vs Sweden

Team Canada's Jonathan Toews celebrates his first period goal against Sweden's goalie Henrik Lundqvist as Sweden's Patrik Berglund looks on in the men's ice hockey gold-medal game at the Bolshoy Ice Dome during the last day of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, on Sunday Feb. 23, 2014. (Al Charest/QMI Agency)

Al Charest/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency

Team Canada's Sidney Crosby celebrates his second-period breakaway goal against Sweden's goalie Henrik Lundqvist in the men's ice hockey gold-medal game at the Bolshoy Ice Dome during the last day of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, on Sunday Feb. 23, 2014. (Al Charest/QMI Agency)

Al Charest/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency

Team Canada's Jonathan Toews and Team Sweden's Niklas Kronwall (#55) fall to the ice as Sweden's Alexander Steen takes control of the puck in the first period of the men's ice hockey gold-medal game at the Bolshoy Ice Dome during the last day of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, on Sunday Feb. 23, 2014. (Ben Pelosse/QMI Agency)

Ben Pelosse/Journal de Montreal/QMI Agency

Team Canada's Patrice Bergeron slides towards Team Sweden's goalie Henrik Lundqvist as the puck passes the post during the first period in the men's ice hockey gold medal game at the Bolshoy Ice Dome during the last day of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, on Sunday Feb. 23, 2014. (Ben Pelosse/QMI Agency)

Ben Pelosse/Journal de Montreal/QMI Agency

Team Canada members celebrate Jonathan Toews' first-period goal against Sweden's goalie Henrik Lundqvist in the men's ice hockey gold-medal game at the Bolshoy Ice Dome during the last day of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, on Sunday Feb. 23, 2014. (Ben Pelosse/QMI Agency)

Ben Pelosse/Journal de Montreal/QMI Agency

Team Canada celebrates a goal against Team Sweden during the men's ice hockey gold-medal game at the Bolshoy Ice Dome during the last day of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, on Sunday Feb. 23, 2014. (Al Charest/QMI Agency)

Al Charest/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency

Team Canada's Sidney Crosby fights for position with Sweden's Marcus Kruger during the men's ice hockey gold-medal game at the Bolshoy Ice Dome during the last day of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, on Sunday Feb. 23, 2014. (Al Charest/QMI Agency)

Al Charest/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency

Team Canada's Sidney Crosby celebrates a goal against Team Swedem during the men's ice hockey gold medal game at the Bolshoy Ice Dome during the last day of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, on Sunday Feb. 23, 2014. Al Charest/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency OLY2014

Al Charest/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency

Team Canada's goalie Carey Price makes a save against Team Sweden during the men's ice hockey gold-medal game at the Bolshoy Ice Dome during the last day of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, on Sunday Feb. 23, 2014. (Al Charest/QMI Agency)

Al Charest/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency

Team Canada's Sidney Crosby scores on a second-period breakaway against Sweden's goalie Henrik Lundqvist as Sweden's Loui Eriksson follows behind in the men's ice hockey gold medal game at the Bolshoy Ice Dome during the last day of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, on Sunday Feb. 23, 2014. (Al Charest/QMI Agency)

Al Charest/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency

Team Canada's Rick Nash and Sweden's Erik Karlsson collide into the boards during the first period in the men's ice hockey gold-medal game at the Bolshoy Ice Dome during the last day of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, on Sunday Feb. 23, 2014. (Al Charest/QMI Agency)

Al Charest/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency

Team Canada's Patrice Bergeron makes a behind the back pass during the men's ice hockey gold-medal game against Team Sweden at the Bolshoy Ice Dome during the last day of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, on Sunday Feb. 23, 2014. (Al Charest/QMI Agency)

Al Charest/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency

Team Canada's Patrick Sharp faces off against Sweden's Marcus Kruger during the men's ice hockey gold-medal game at the Bolshoy Ice Dome during the last day of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, on Sunday Feb. 23, 2014. (Al Charest/QMI Agency)

Al Charest/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency

Team Canada's Patrice Bergeron runs over Sweden's Niklas Hjalmarsson during the first period in the men's ice hockey gold-medal game at the Bolshoy Ice Dome during the last day of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, on Sunday Feb. 23, 2014. (Al Charest/QMI Agency)

Al Charest/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency

Team Canada's goalie Carey Price makes a save during the third period against Team Sweden in the men's ice hockey gold medal game at the Bolshoy Ice Dome during the last day of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, on Sunday Feb. 23, 2014. Canada won the game 3-0. Al Charest/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency OLY2014

Al Charest/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency

Team Canada's Chris Kunitz celebrates his third period goal during the men's ice hockey gold medal game at the Bolshoy Ice Dome on the last day of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, on Sunday Feb. 23, 2014. Canada beat Team Sweden 3-0. Al Charest/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency OLY2014

Al Charest/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency

Jonathan Toews celebrates with his gold medal during the men's ice hockey gold medal game at the Bolshoy Ice Dome during the last day of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, on Sunday Feb. 23, 2014. Ben Pelosse/Journal de Montreal/QMI Agency OLY2014

Journal de Montreal/QMI Agency

Team Canada captain Sidney Crosby (#87) (centre), Ryan Getzlaf (#15) along with other teammates celebrate winning gold after beating Team Sweden 3-0 in the men's ice hockey gold medal game at the Bolshoy Ice Dome on the last day of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, on Sunday Feb. 23, 2014. Al Charest/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency OLY2014

Al Charest/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency

Team Sweden players stand dejected after receiving their sliver medals after losing 3-0 to Team Canada in the men's final hockey game at the Bolshoy Ice Dome on the last day of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, on Sunday Feb. 23, 2014. Al Charest/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency OLY2014

Al Charest/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency

Looking up at the clock as time runs out is Team Canada's captain Sidney Crosby, as teammates Patrice Bergeron, Rick Nash and Team Canada's Head coach, Mike Babcock celebrate winning gold medal in the men's ice hockey gold medal game at the Bolshoy Ice Dome on the last day of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, on Sunday Feb. 23, 2014. Canada beat Team Sweden 3-0. Al Charest/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency OLY2014

Al Charest/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency

Team Canada poses with their gold medals after defeating Team Sweden at the Bolshoy Ice Dome during the last day of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, on Sunday Feb. 23, 2014. Ben Pelosse/Journal de Montreal/QMI Agency OLY2014

Ben Pelosse/Journal de Montreal/QMI Agency

Team Canada players and coaches celebrate winning gold medal as the game ends in the men's ice hockey gold medal game at the Bolshoy Ice Dome on the last day of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, on Sunday Feb. 23, 2014. Canada beat Team Sweden 3-0. Al Charest/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency OLY2014

Al Charest/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency

A dejected Team Sweden captian Sweden's Niklas Kronwall after receiving his sliver medals after losing 3-0 to Team Canada in the men's final hockey game at the Bolshoy Ice Dome on the last day of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, on Sunday Feb. 23, 2014. Al Charest/Calgary Sun/QMI Agency OLY2014

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What are we left with here, after another memorable performance for Canada on the ice?

The Sochi Posts?

The posts, one at each end of the Bolshoy Ice Dome, turned out to be precious metal on the way to precious medals as Canada’s men’s hockey team beat Sweden 3-0 in a near-perfect performance to give Canada a sweep of the men’s and women’s golds for the second-straight Olympics.

Canada smothered the Swedes with another flawless defensive performance and that will be the way this remarkable team of all-stars and first-liners will be remembered, as players who played with the work ethic of plumbers and grinders.

They buried the Lucky Loonie at centre ice in Salt Lake.

This Team Canada buried their egos somewhere between Canada and the Black Sea.

“It was a feeling of absolute trust that as soon as you jump over the boards, you’re going out there to do the exact same thing that the line before you did, to keep that momentum,” said Team Canada’s Jonathan Toews, who scored his first of the tournament and what turned out to be the winning goal at 12:55 of the first period.

“And even when we got up two goals, we never stopped. We just kept going at them, we were backchecking, we were forechecking, we didn’t give them any space. It was fun to watch and it was fun to be a part of a team like that.”

Canada also got goals from captain Sidney Crosby and winger Chris Kunitz, both with their first of the tournament.

“It’s just kind of the way it was going. You knew those two (Crosby and Toews) weren’t going to be able to be held off the entire tournament,” said Canadian defenceman Duncan Keith. “They had two really nice plays and two really nice goals.”

The post came into play when a puck off the stick of Swedish forward Gustav Nyqvist in the early stages of a scoreless game hit the right post behind Team Canada goaltender Carey Price, bounced back into the crease as it spun and was covered up.

You knew whoever was going to get the first goal was going to have a huge advantage, so the puck hitting that post and staying out was a key play.

Toews wound up getting that first one for Canada, which never trailed in the tournament.

That Nyqvist shot off the post was as close to scoring as the Swedes would get.

In the women’s gold medal game, with Canada down by a goal and the goalie on the bench for an extra attacker, a shot in the waning seconds by the U.S. bounced off the left post at the other end of the rink. That would have ended the game in the Americans’ favour, but instead Canada tied it and won in overtime.

Lucky to be good or good to be lucky?

The men’s team was unwavering in its commitment to team play. The forwards never cheated or took shortcuts and the result was impenetrable and imperturbable five-man units.

“You always feel like the one mistake you can make can end up in your net, but I think that desperation and the work ethic that everyone played with was what allowed us to put up that type of effort,” said Crosby. “Right from goaltending all the way out, we didn’t give up a whole lot.”

The Swedes suffered a blow when they lost top centre Nicklas Backstrom two hours before the game when he was informed he had tested positive for a banned substance related to allergy medication.

Their middle ice had already suffered a blow without Henrik Sedin — injured in the NHL and unable to play — and captain Henrik Zetterberg, who had to pull out of the tournament with back trouble.

But Canada didn’t have scorer Steve Stamkos — sidelined with a broken leg — or John Tavares, who they lost with a knee injury during the tournament.

This Olympic gold will be remembered for Canadian goaltender Carey Price shutting out the U.S. and Sweden in the semifinal and final and that makes you think defence, but one of the real strengths of this team was they kept the puck a long way from Price’s doorstep most of the time.

“The first thing I guard against is you talk about great defence, sometimes we get confused,” said coach Mike Babcock. “Great defence means you play fast and you have the puck all the time, so you’re always on offence. We outchanced these teams big time: we didn’t score.

“We were a great offensive team. That’s how we coached. That’s what we expected. We didn’t ask guys to back up. Does anybody know who won the scoring race? Does anybody care? Does anyone know who won the gold medal?”

I think we do.

KARLSSON KEPT IN CHECK

Atop the list of things to do to take home a gold medal for Team Canada was shutting down offensive dynamo Erik Karlsson of Sweden.

Mission accomplished.

Canada kept the puck away from him Sunday in Canada’s 3-0 win and the Swedes weren’t capable of generating much in the way of offence.

Tough to do when a dedicated bunch of Canadian hockey players have the puck much of the time.

“They had a good game plan against us and they stuck to it. We couldn’t really break through a brick wall,” said Karlsson. “It felt like we didn’t really get any time in their zone or any type of scoring. We just had a few rush opportunities that weren’t really that dangerous.

“Their breakouts were a little too easy for them. They got the puck out every time. Unfortunately, we couldn’t establish our own game. They had a great game over there and we didn’t, obviously.”

Karlsson, who tied for the tournament scoring lead, was held to just three shots in 19 minutes and 38 seconds of ice time.

Karlsson said seeing the silver medal hanging around his neck wasn’t a good feeling.

“Right now it’s pretty empty. We worked really hard to get to where we are right now, and to fall short like this, at the moment it feels really frustrating,” he said.

“It’s just one of those things where if you look back, at least we got a silver. Canada played better than us today. All we can do is congratulate them. They had a solid tournament and they played their best game tonight. We didn’t.”

“They got the game the way they wanted it to go. They got the first goal and then they could play on that, capitalized on our turnovers, which we did way too many of this game,” said Swedish defenceman Henrik Tallinder.

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PRICE WAS RIGHT

So much for goaltending being an issue for Canada, eh?

Carey Price posted back-to-back shutouts in the semifinal and final games of the Winter Olympics and afterwards, he looked like he hardly broke a sweat.

Really. His hair looked like he had just come from the barber.

“I think it came down to that team in front of me. That group of defencemen playing in front of me was just an absolute pleasure to play behind. We didn’t give up a whole lot the whole tournament and they really made my job a lot easier,” said the Montreal Canadiens goaltender.

Price finished up the Olympic tournament with a .972 save percentage and a 0.59 goals against average, both tops amongst goaltenders.

As Team Canada coach Mike Babcock said, Price was big, square and soft. Soft as in almost every shot was swallowed up with no rebounds for second-chance opportunties.

Could he guess how many of those chances Sweden had?

“I would guess less than one. That defensive group, that group of forwards, they’re relentless on the puck. Our backchecking, our just overall will to win was second to none,” he said.

Now he has a gold medal to add to the world junior championship he helped win in 2007.